A lengthy interview on Syria with Sami Ramadani, a UK-based commentator, on the struggle against repressive regimes in the Middle East and the hijacking of democratic opposition movements by imperialism and local reactionary forces http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article31570.htm >.
*Between Imperialism and Repression By Sami Ramadani, Samuel Grove* *Sami Ramadani is a senior lecturer in sociology at London Metropolitan University and has been an active participant in campaign's against Saddam's regime and anti-imperialist struggles for many years. In an in-depth interview, he spoke to Samuel Grove about the dynamics of the conflict in Syria, arguing that democratic resistance to Assad's brutal regime has been eclipsed by reactionary forces, backed by Western and Gulf states, with potentially momentous implications for the Middle East. * June 13, 2012 "Information Clearing House<http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/>" -- *The upheaval in Syria is an enormously difficult subject for Western outsiders to get a handle on. One of the reasons for this is the sheer number of different interests jostling for position and power, from both within and outside the country. Let us start with the regime itself. Can you give us a brief history of where the Al-Assad family came from and the direction they have taken the country since they came to power in 1970?* Following the magnificent peoples uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt, toppling two entrenched dictators, there developed a tendency not to closely examine the nature of the various forces competing for political power both within the opposition movements and the Arab regimes. Events in Libya and NATOs intervention there have alerted most people to the dangers of hijacking the peoples struggle for freedom by reactionary forces. A brief look at the nature of the Syrian regime and its changing role in the region is crucial in trying to understand the current conflict and the reactionary forces success in hijacking the peoples struggle for radical change. Syria has been run by a ruthless, corrupt regime. Syrian left activists have been on the receiving end of severe repression since Hafiz Assads coup in 1970. It was after that coup that Henry Kissinger described Syria as a factor for stability, despite Soviet military backing for the regime. Hafiz Assads regime, funded by the Saudi medieval dictators, played a leading role in the 1970s and early 80s in weakening the Palestinian resistance. During the 1975-6 civil war in Lebanon Syrian troops sided with pro-Israeli Phalange and other extreme right wing forces. The regime, in return for US promises over the Israeli-occupied Syrian Golan Heights and Saudi petro-dollars, also backed the 1991 US-led war over Kuwait. The Syrian forces presence in Lebanon had the full support of the US and Saudi rulers and the tacit support of Israel. It was only after Syrias gradual foreign policy shift and reversal of roles from enemies to allies of the Palestinian and Lebanese resistance movements that the US and Saudi rulers shifted their stance. They pursued an aggressive campaign to force a Syrian withdrawal (1985) from Lebanon, particularly after the 2003 occupation of Iraq. US forces even killed some Syrian soldiers on the Iraqi-Syrian borders. In relation to the media coverage today, it is important to note that, before Syrias shift the media were silent about the repressive nature of the regime. This is similar to the their silence towards repression by a variety of ruthless dictatorial allies. Today they talk of Sunni Saudi rulers opposed to Alawite-Shia in Syria, but back then, the media did not bother highlighting the fact that the Wahabi-Sunni Saudi rulers were bankrolling the Syrian regime nor did they push their sectarian poison. A similar sectarian coverage unfolded in relation to Saudi-Iranian relations after the 1979 Iranian revolution and the overthrow of the Shah, a favourite US ally. The opposition to the Syrian regime was not confined to the left, but included the Moslem Brotherhood, who led a popular revolt in 1982 in their stronghold of Hama. The regime crushed the uprising by bombarding the City and killing thousands of people. Nevertheless, Arab nationalism has for a century or more been Syrias main ideological current, developed in the struggle against Ottoman rule and, much more deeply, against French colonial rule. Syria won its independence from France in 1946. The Brotherhood today are backed by the Qatari and Saudi dictators, but the media rarely dwell on the irony of these dictators championing democracy in Syria while crushing any opposition to their rule and sending their troops to help crush the peoples uprising in Bahrain. In 1967 Syria was invaded and a strategic part of its territory, the Golan Heights, was occupied by Israel. Since then, successive regimes legitimised their rule partly by working for or at least appearing to be actively trying to liberate Syria from occupation. However, US promises of rewarding Syria by forcing Israel to pull out of the occupied lands came to nothing despite Syrias compliant policies. Concurrently with the failure of the US to deliver on its promises, a number of factors changed Syrias role. These include the rise of Iran as a formidable anti-US antiIsraeli power, the Palestinian uprisings, the unstoppable rise of the Lebanese resistance, led by Hizbullah, leading to the liberation of southern Lebanon from occupation and defeat of Israeli-Saudi-US backed forces, the arrival of hostile US forces along Syrias borders with Iraq, and the rise of Iraqi resistance and defeat of US forces in Iraq. The Syrian armed forces and security apparatus, with its multi-layer pyramids of informers, form the backbone of the regimes control over Syrian society. Much is made of the sectarian nature of the Syrian regime and its reliance on the Alawite communities. I think this is highly exaggerated and ignores the much wider circles of support that the regime has acquired, whether this support is active, passive or of the better devil you know type. The powerful, mostly Sunni, merchant classes of Syria, particularly in Damascus and Aleppo, have close links with the regime. Indeed, the US-led economic sanctions are partly directed at this merchant class to force it to shift its stance. Sections of the middle and upper middle classes also tacitly support the regime. Syrias religious minorities, including Christians who form 10% of the population, are fearful of the Moslem Brotherhoods social and cultural agenda for Syria. They too would rather have the secular regime than a state dominated by a Saud-Qatari backed Brotherhood. Importantly, the Kurdish minority are also fearful of the influence of Turkey on the Muslim Brotherhood and the fact that the Syrian Free Army is headquartered in Turkey, which has a horrific record of killing over 20,000 Kurdish people in Turkey. Millions of women also fear the social programme of the Brotherhood. In the context of the current conflict, the poor, the unemployed and students who were supportive of the initial, largely spontaneous protest movement are now much more reticent, partly due to regime repression but primarily because of their opposition to the NATO-Saudi-Qatari meddling and the militarisation of the sections of the opposition, particularly the Syrian National Council (SNC) and the Free Syrian Army which are dominated by the Brotherhood. *You describe the recent protest movement as 'largely spontaneous'. This doesn't mean obviously that grievances weren't building up over a long period of time, however it does suggest a lack of strong long term organisations of resistanceas was the case in countries like Egypt and Tunisia for example.* Left and progressive opposition to the Syrian regime has been going on for decades, particularly after the 1970 Hafiz Assad coup, which ousted the left faction led by Salah Jedid. That faction backed the Palestinian resistance movements based in Jordan against the military onslaught launched by King Husseins armed forces in September 1970. Hafiz Assad, who was minister of Defence before the coup, instantly appeased the US and Saudi rulers by siding with King Hussein and starting a crack-down on all left forces in the country. The left in Syria was for much of the 20th century mostly organised by the Syrian Communist Party. Founded in 1924, the party was subjected to varying degrees of state repression. Since the 1970's the more militant factions within the party and other left organisations and figures have suffered imprisonment, torture and exile. However, the party leaderships docile stance towards more militant forms of struggle within Syria, Palestine and Lebanon, and servile support for the Soviet Unions Middle East policies gradually turned it into a party of sections of the intelligentsia rather than a genuine working class party. Perhaps the latter would have appealed to wider society with a socialist programme that also reflected Syrias neo-colonial status and being part of the wider struggle in the area against imperialism and Zionism. As it happened the political vacuum was filled by the Islamic and nationalist movements, including the Baath party, who champion the Syrian, Palestinian and wider Arab nationalist causes. A similar process happened in Algeria where Marxists initially advocated the line of the French CP declaring that Algeria would be free once France became socialist! In the context of the current conflict, all the left forces in Syria supported the initial protest marches that followed the uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt. The marches, which started in Deraa on the border with Jordan, were also supported by the Moslem Brotherhood. The demands of the protest marches were focused on issues relating to corruption, unemployment and democratic rights. Though large scale marches were held across many cities it was significant that no such marches took place in Syrias largest two cities, Damascus and Aleppo, where more than half of Syrias population reside. It was also noticeable that the more NATO intervened and militarised the protest movement in Libya the smaller mass peaceful protests became in Syria. The marchers shrunk from hundreds to tens of thousands and to to thousands and less. Obviously, regime brutality was a factor, but I dont think that fear played the biggest role. I think the main reason is that most of the democratic opposition in Syria is also staunchly anti-imperialist and naturally fearful of NATO and Israeli plans for Syria. Events in Libya and, above all, the bloodbaths in and destruction of neighbouring Iraq by the US-led forces and the terrorist gangs, played the leading role in making most of the Syrian democratic secular opposition fearful of the consequences of the escalating conflict. They could not fail to notice that while Iraq burned Syria itself became home to a million Iraqi refugees. On the other hand, the leadership of the Moslem Brotherhood and opposition leaders based in Istanbul, Paris and London have effectively utilised the publicity they enjoyed on all Arab state-controlled media, particularly the Qatari-owned Al-Jazeera. Events have also shown that years of planning had gone into the funding and arming of parts of the Syrian opposition. Having lost Bin Ali and Mubarak in quick succession, US, Saudi, Qatari and Turkish attention turned to Syria. The massive uprising in Bahrain, headquarters of the US fifth fleet, also sharpened their sense of danger and fear of the peoples uprisings. Saudi and other Gulf sheikdoms sent in their forces to help King Hamad crush the uprising, which is still active. Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and areas in Iraq became the centres of the counterrevolution in Syria. Arms were smuggled into Syria and the US-created Iraqi militia al-Sahwa backed the armed rebels and Libyan fighters were smuggled into the battle zones. Terrorists operating in Iraq also joined the jihad against the Syrian regime. On the other hand, years of repression rendered the Syrian democratic opposition too weak to lead the struggle in the country. As organised forces, they are no match for the counterrevolutions vast resources. Their only hope was to keep the protests peaceful and sustained. Like in Libya, counter-revolution had other plans. The left here has to also recognise that the regime does have the support of most of the affluent middle classes, particularly in Damascus and Allepo. The numerous ethnic and religious minorities and large sectors of the female population are also fearful of the socially reactionary nature of the Moslem Brotherhood and the type of regime that they might impose on Syria. Al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahirs call for armed Jihad to overthrow Assads regime has also further frightened the population of a sectarian conflict. *This puts us in a difficult situation. As left wing activists we support the rights of people to freedom, equality and self-determination. As activists based in the imperial centres we are opposed to the actions of our governments to deny people these rights. So our support for freedom and equality and our opposition to imperialism tend to go hand in hand. However the picture you are depicting in Syria is tied to the implication that we cannot do both these. Is it possible to support Syria's democratic struggle AND oppose foreign intervention? Or is this a luxury we cannot afford?* You raise a very important question. Let me make it crystal clear:* it is vital for the left to always oppose both imperialism and regimes that repress the masses. This is a matter of principle that should never be abandoned. Movements that abandoned one or other of these inseparable objectives have committed serious and sometimes fatal errors.* *The Iraqi Communist Party (ICP) is a good example* in this context. Within three decades, it shrunk from being a formidable party of the working class, enjoying the support of the overwhelming majority of the Iraqi people in 1958-9, to a pathetic grouping that probably received funds from Saudi Arabia in 1991 in return for siding with US-led 1991 Gulf war, and protection-at-a-price from Barzanis KDP from 1978-9 onwards. In practice, it betrayed brave chapters of struggle against imperialism and domestic reaction with a chapter of shame by serving the US-led occupation authority in 2003. It abandoned the struggle for democratic socialism in 1959 in the name of opposing imperialism and abandoned the fight against imperialism from 1990 onwards in the name of fighting for democracy. Which of the twin objectives becomes the main focus of the struggle is always in a state of flux. However, within the context of an era of accelerated imperialist aggression and wars, exposing imperialism and its exploitation of the peoples of the world is always at the heart of the work of the left. Imperialism is a manifestation of monopoly capitalism that exploits the masses at home and abroad. The left in the imperial centres has the added internationalist duty of firmly upholding this task: to always side with the oppressed peoples struggle against imperialism and for self-determination. However, siding with the oppressed masses also means backing them when they rise up against domestic oppressors. These uprisings and struggle for democracy are part and parcel of the struggle against imperialism. For me the complexity of the problem resolves itself in determining whether the peoples struggle for civil rights and social emancipation are clearly directed against both domestic reaction/repression and imperialism. In Iraq and Libya yesterday and Syria today, imperialism has succeeded in exploiting the struggle for democracy and eclipsing the progressive opposition forces. The left has to face the facts and not sweep inconvenient developments under the carpet. Syria today has NATO-backed armed groups, led by Saudi/Qatari-funded reactionaries. Syria is a major target of US-led imperialism to install a client regime or, failing that objective, to plunge the country into a sectarian blood bath. The duty of the left in Britain is to firmly uphold and raise the banners high: Hands off Syria, Dont Iraq Syria, Dont Iraq Iran, It is for the Syrian people to determine their future *Al-Jazeera is a news station that has developed a reputation on the left for covering the Middle East (some would say the news in general) with more sophistication and seriousness than the mainstream media in this country. And yet you say that in relation to Syria and Libya their role has been very insidious. Can you explain how? Can you append to this your impression of the British medias coverage of Syria?* With very few and notable exceptions, it really doesnt take much to provide a more serious and reliable coverage of the Middle East than the mainstream media here. With significant exceptions, the media here echo the line adopted by the Foreign Office on any particular event or country. A complex array of ideological, political, social, economic and commercial factors are at play in the way the media reports on the Middle East and world affairs in general. British national interests are perceived by media owners and editors as being expressed by the Foreign Office, which is seen as the neutral depository and slide-rule of the national interest. No distinction is made between the genuine interests of the British people and those of the arms manufacturers and oil companies. Coverage of Israeli policies, Palestinian peoples rights, Mussadaqs Iran (1953), Nassers Egypt (1952-1970), Qassems Iraq (1958-1963), the murderous sanctions policies on Iraq, the Iraq War, NATO bombing of Libya and the current covert NATO intervention in Syria are examples of how the mainstream media towed the line advocated by the government of the day. Similarly, the ruthless and socially repressive nature of the Saudi regime is glossed over, because the Saudi medieval rulers are seen as important allies. As it happens, Al-Jazeera had its own historical link with the media here! The satellite broadcaster was launched in 1996 following the sudden collapse of the BBC Arabic station, which was a joint venture with a leading Saudi prince. The collapse followed Saudi insistence on monitoring all broadcast material, forcing the BBC to pull out. The Qatari rulers seized the moment and launched Al-Jazeera, with scores of the BBC Arabic service staff on board, and with the Qatari ruling family as the owners and political custodians. The dead hand of the assorted dictatorships in the Arab world made all Arab TV stations be perceived, to varying degrees, as purveyors of state lies, half-truths and, at best, safe-reporting. The advent of satellite stations and the internet opened the doors for the Al-Jazeera to project itself as the antidote to state censorship. The more cosmopolitan and less vulnerable Qatari rulers, who were at odds with the Saudi rulers, saw in Al-Jazeera a vehicle for spreading their political influence. They gave Al-Jazeera a free hand to report on the Arab and Muslim world, while maintaining tight control on the Qatari state TV station. But it was of course not allowed to report negatively on the Qatari dictators or to investigate how the current Qatari ruler deposed his father with US blessing. Qatar became the headquarters of US military operations throughout the Middle East, including Afghanistan and Iraq. One aspect of Al-Jazeera that does not attract much scrutiny is the stations tendency to negatively report on the Saudi royal family and Saudi princes widespread financial and property interests, which are hindering Qatari investments and influence in the Middle East. The friction between the Qatari and Saudi royal families became much more intense after the Qatari rulers started showing keen interest in widening their influence in the Middle East. Occasionally, however, Al-Jazeeras intrepid reporters on the ground upset US military planners in Afghanistan and Iraq. In response to Al-Jazeera, the Saudi rulers funded al-Arabiya and other satellite stations. The uprisings in the Arab world, especially in neighbouring Bahrain, however, threatened all the ruling families of the Gulf region. This prompted the Qatari and Saudi rulers to make common cause in suppressing the uprisings in Bahrain and Yemen while backing NATO intervention in Libya and bankrolling sections of the Syrian opposition and working for militarising the conflict in Syria. For they are aware that militarising the conflict will not only facilitate covert and possibly overt NATO intervention but will thwart the progressive anti-imperialist forces efforts to lead the peoples struggle for democracy and radical social and economic change. Al-Jazeera English targets a different audience but still has to compete with other stations, particularly Iranian and Russian satellite stations. But both Al-Jazeera Arabic and English, along with nearly all Arab TV stations, target Iran in a barrage of negative reporting, with a racist and sectarian undertones against Persian and Shia influence in the region. This aspect of Al-Jazeeras reporting is becoming increasingly important in the context of possible Israeli or US attacks on Iran. Permit me here to quote from an article I wrote last year in which I referred to the role of Al-Jazeera within the Arab uprisings: Though Al-Jazeera has now become the most influential political tool of counter-revolution in the Arab world, its role in Libya and the impact of the sectarian nature of its coverage of the Bahrain uprising would have been much less lethal had it not been for the massive prestige and authority it had gained at the height of the Tunisian and Egyptian uprisings. [...] This [has given it] a unique position to influence events and perceptions, particularly in relation to Libya, Bahrain, Syria, Yemen and Iraq. [...]Although Al-Jazeera has always had a sectarian undertone at an editorial level, a marked shift in direction came when the Qatari ruling family [...] buried their longstanding conflict with the Saudi ruling family in the wake of the revolutionary tidal wave reaching Bahrain [...] The channels silence towards the violent suppression of the protesters in Bahrain, headquarters of the US fifth fleet, was backed up by live interviews with Sheikh Qaradhawi, a very influential Egyptian cleric and a guest of the Qatari ruling family. Doing serious damage to the democratic forces in Syria, Al-Jazeera has been trumpeting the Qatari and Saudi rulers calls for the militarisation of the conflict. It has given voice to the pro-NATO intervention forces in the Syrian National Council and the Free Syrian Army, who do not represent a majority of the Syrian people and are dominated by the Muslim Brotherhood. Perhaps more damagingly is the way they suppressed the anti-intervention democratic opposition voices in Syria. *How do you see this conflict playing out? Do you see a victory for the reactionary forces as moving us closer to a war with Iran? Is there still a potential for revolutionary change in Syria?* Yes, I think that a victory for the Saudi and Qatari ruling classes, backed by the US, will be a major setback for the people in Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq and the entire region. It will plunge Syria and the entire region into a sectarian bloodbath, and will strengthen plans to attack Iran. In an alarming move pointing to future developments, a major US-led military exercise is taking place in Jordan. 12,000 multinational forces from 20 NATO members and Arab states are taking part in Operation Eager Lion 2012, the first of its type in the region. US military sources do not hide the fact that the simulation of amphibious landings and other war manoeuvres were intended to be noticed by Syria and Iran. Syria is of pivotal importance not only due to its historic role and strategic location but also because it is Irans only ally in the region. Installing a pro US regime in Damascus, or crippling Syria through severe sanctions, terrorist attacks and sectarian civil war will apply further pressure on Iran to either concede to US demands or be attacked. I think that Irans nuclear energy programme is not the major US concern, especially given that the CIA itself has admitted that there was no evidence that Iran was working on producing nuclear weapons. Iran is a formidable regional power, and one of the worlds largest oil producers, which happens to be implacably opposed to US and Israeli policies. Its policies run counter to US plans and have created problems for the US in Afghanistan and Iraq and for Israeli policies in Palestine and Lebanon. Following the uprisings, the Saudi and Qatari rulers are being encouraged by Washington to strengthen their influence in the Middle East by restoring their lost influence in Syria and Lebanon. In the latter, defeating Hizbullah (and its Christian and left and nationalist allies) is the main objective. They are trying to drag Hizbullah into another Lebanese civil war. Al-Jazeera and Arab states media have been conducting a prolonged and intense racist and sectarian campaign against Iran, portraying it as the main enemy and accusing Syria and Hizbullah of being stooges of Iran. This is not to argue that the counterrevolutionary onslaught will be successful. The people of Syria are overwhelmingly opposed to political and social change in their country that is funded and backed by the dictatorships of Riyadh and Doha. Women, most of whom enjoy vast social rights compared to Saudi women, ethnic and religious minorities and the democratic left in Syria are a formidable force against Saudi-Qatari-funded forces and are opposed to calls for NATO intervention. Militarisation of the conflict and resorting to terrorist attacks are signs of failure of the reactionary forces to gain mass support for their line. However, the struggle of the anti-imperialist left and other democratic forces in Syria, as in Iraq, remain difficult and very complex, due to the brutality of and corruption-ridden regime on the one hand and the intervention of NATO and Saudi-Qatari rulers on the other. Years of repression by the dictatorships, backed by colonial and imperialist powers for so many decades, has organisationally weakened the left and other democratic forces. It is obvious that with Saudi-Qatari backing, the leaderships of the Brotherhood and Salafi forces are, in the short term, reaping the fruits of the uprisings. These forces have always played a dual role amongst the poorest sections of the population, giving voice for their demands while acting as a lid on the more politically and socially radical demands of the people. At critical times, as in Egypt, Iraq and Syria today, they have played a counter-revolutionary role and were accommodated by imperialist powers. However, the uprisings in the region have unleashed massive popular energies that bode well for the future. In the short term I am quite pessimistic about radical democratic transformation in Syria. I think that is no longer possible in the current phase of the struggle, because of the weakness of the left organisations and the foothold gained by the reactionary forces in the country. But longer term the uprisings across the Arab world are laying new foundations for the left to organise and prepare for the protracted battles to come. The masses have flexed their muscles in an unprecedented way. I think their triumphs and setbacks are massive schools for the new generations to develop more effective means and organisations to lead the struggle forward. *Samuel Grove is an independent researcher and journalist.* ** *------------------------* ** http://www.maysaloon.org/2012/06/on-how-to-square-circle.html Wednesday, June 13, 2012 On How to Square a Circle<http://www.maysaloon.org/2012/06/on-how-to-square-circle.html> Some friends brought my attention to a recent article<http://english.al-akhbar.com/content/syrian-crisis-three%E2%80%99s-crowd>on al Akhbar English by Saad-Ghorayeb. To say I disagree with this long, jargon-laden article is an understatement. At times I suspect the author does not even believe what she is writing, so convoluted is the reasoning. In short, the premise is that Assad is good because he opposes imperialism, which is bad. If you want to be good and show that you support the Palestinian cause then you must support Assad. Anything else is a betrayal, and those who do so are guilty, at best, of false consciousness. It's the language that has intrigued me, the subtle brushing under the carpet of what is really quite monstrous. For example in spite of the horrific behaviour of Assad's army, the best that Saad-Ghorayeb can muster is to describe the condemnation of his regime as based on, "unsubstantiated allegations of war crimes". This perspective is not surprising, as I've noticed that the Arab *faux* anti-imperialists reject the narrative of any news or public statement that does not emanate from totalitarian systems. Of course in their discourse you can call such systems anything but totalitarian, because if you do then you are still a victim of the oppressor's insidious brainwashing. It is curious the intellectual mind-bending that is emerging from this camp as they justify the brutality and oppression of such systems in the name of resisting hegemony or for the promised land of a liberated Palestine. Deliberate ignorance of all the awful things that are being done in the name of the "cause" is helped by shrill denunciations of the "other" side's torture. So if you mention the torture in Libya, somebody will respond about Guantanamo, if you talk about the killing in Syria, they will bring up Bahrain. It is as if, in their simplistic view of the world there is only black and white, only the West and the East. This is reinforced by Saad-Ghorayeb herself, when she cites Lenin's own "with us or against us" perspective - I wonder where we have heard that before? - and uses that as the justification for condemning anybody who does not support Assad whilst still supporting the Palestinians. Incredibly, Saad-Ghorayeb blames those who criticise Assad for failing, "to deliver a political solution for a conflict that now belongs entirely to larger geopolitical players". It is beyond me how she expects anybody to deliver a political solution when Assad's tanks have occupied the squares where peaceful protesters once gathered and whilst those who have peacefully called for reform have been beaten and, in most cases, shot at. Of course the circular argument used by Saad-Ghorayeb is that such repression never happened, and where it happened it was a minor mistake, irrelevant if one takes a look at the "big picture", citing the leader of Hezbullah, Hassan Nasrallah. For those familiar with the sensationalist French lawyer, Verges, Saad-Ghorayeb's premise might start looking very tedious the further they read her justification for supporting Assad. If supporting this dictator appears to be morally outrageous, then it is only because you are assuming the moral rules upon which you operate are legitimate and valid; by "questioning the system" upon which it is based, one can dispense with worrying about torture, murder and ethnic cleansing, at least for the side they support. Of course in doing so you also do away with over two thousand years of philosophy, theology and politics. You are left with the morality of Thrasymachus, that might is right and the only standard for right and wrong is whatever the strong wish it to be at one particular time. This is the world that Assad lives in, and the vision that Saad-Ghorayeb seems committed to support. One can oppose Assad and still support the Palestinian cause, not because of a contradiction but because the issue is one and the same. It is a sense for justice which makes the death of all innocent people equally outrageous, and whether it is Gaza or Homs that is being bombed, the condemnation of those doing so should not be subject to geopolitical convenience. Some people, sadly, cannot grasp this simple truth, and resort to sophistry and jargon to justify what is simply state-sanctioned murder. *-----------------------* ** Syria, Bahrain (and Beyond) Live Coverage: Questions of Human Rights Thursday, June 14, 2012 at 5:47 James Miller in Ali al-Ekry, Amnesty International, Bahrain, EA Middle East and Turkey, Human Rights First, Middle East and Iran, Nada Dhaif, Sausan Ghosheh, Syria, Younis Ashoori *Nada Dhaif, one of 20 Bahraini medics sentenced to long prison terms, addresses a crowd in Dublin about the case* *http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZ447XFCrsk&feature=player_embedded* ** ------------------------------ 1953 GMT: *Egypt.* More political fallout tonight. 4 liberal members of the Constituent Assembly have announced their resignations<http://www.egyptindependent.com/news/four-liberal-members-withdraw-constituent-assembly> : The NAC members who left the assembly are Abdul Jalil Mostafa, the coordinator of the association; Jaber Gad Nasser, a constitutional law professor at Cairo University; and Samir Morqos, a political researcher. Nasser was one of the plaintiffs in the case which resulted in the first Constituent Assembly being disbanded by an administrative court. The NAC members released a statement saying, The newly-declared Constituent Assembly is not significantly different from the first formation, which an administrative court ruled invalid because it was based on party representation and not national representation as a whole. Meanwhile, the Muslim Brotherhood Twitter account has sent a message<http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/middle-east-live/2012/jun/14/syria-crisis-war-crimes-evidence-live#block-46>that "Parliament is staying," whatever that means. *The Guardian* is cataloging the responses, which range from the assessment that the statement shows pure delusion to strong defiance. 1944 GMT: *Syria.* 60 people have been killed today<http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=479900628703745&set=a.221856221174855.74557.217848338242310&type=1>, according to the activist network LCCS: 19 martyrs in Damascus Suburbs "Douma-Zamalka-Hamorieh", 19 martyrs were reported in Homs, 9 in Daraa, 5 in Idlib, 2 in Deir Ezzor, 2 in Aleppo, 2 in Hama 1 in Lattakia, and 1 in Bokamal. Homs is a resilient city, a city that has had to cope with constant bombardment for months, and a city that has had large parts of the population evacuated. For 19 people to be killed by today's bombardment, it is a testimony for how heavy the fighting there has been. 1822 GMT: *Syria.* Large protests against the Assad regime were held today in Darbasiyah<https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=215253448853172848529.0004c26dcc17eca79ec0c&msa=0&ll=37.111051,40.753784&spn=0.765505,1.454315&iwloc=0004c2729045cdc06fa09>, on the border with Turkey. What's significant? Perhaps, several thousand people have turned out, according to witnesses and videos, most of whom were Kurdish, another sign that the Kurds are uniting in larger numbers behind the opposition. 1800 GMT: *Syria.* More news from Douma<https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=215253448853172848529.0004c26dcc17eca79ec0c&msa=0&ll=33.574296,36.35994&spn=0.199946,0.363579&iwloc=0004c26dcc1bddfc75624>, a key Damascus suburb, from the LCC<http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=479884288705379&set=a.221856221174855.74557.217848338242310&type=1> : Eight or more people were martyred and more than 250 injured according to physicians in field hospitals. Many of the injuries are life-threatening, because of the severity of the injuries and the hardships in rescuing the injured due to the continuous heavy shelling of the city of Douma for the past 8 hours using all kinds of weapons. There are other suburbs east of Damascus that have also seen heavy fighting today, though we're not sure of the amount of killed and injured in those other locations. 1647 GMT: *Bahrain.* Last night we published claims that police shot a 4 year old boy and his father, both of whom are now in the hospital. The Ministry of Interior confirms those reports, and has released this statement<http://www.policemc.gov.bh/en/news_details.aspx?type=1&articleId=13364> : The General Director of Muharraq Governorate Police announced on Thursday that a father and his young child were unintentionally injured when police officers, under assault by metal spears and Molotov cocktails, were trying to clear an intersection. Steps have been taken to send the child abroad for medical treatment to ensure his health and safety. The General Director said that a number of thugs blocked the entrance to a village and proceeded to assault the police with Molotov cocktails and other weapons. When warned by police to disperse, the thugs continued their assault. Police took appropriate and necessary steps to disperse the crowd. An investigation has been launched to determine how the man and his child were injured in the process. The General Director reminded the public that vandals and rioters who engage in such violent behavior endanger the lives of innocent citizens. Earlier this week two persons died as a result of injuries from Molotov cocktails thrown at an expat's house and a bomb that exploded when a person attempted to clear a burning tire from a roadway. The details of the incident cannot be confirmed, and we have yet to see any video showing the boy and his father being shot, nor what happened immediately prior to that incident. 1559 GMT: *Syria.* The live-stream from Homs that we posted at 1404 GMT<http://www.enduringamerica.com/home/2012/6/14/syria-bahrain-and-beyond-live-coverage-questions-of-human-ri.html#1404>is still live. What we are seeing is incredibly heavy shelling, and continuous gunfire. Smoke has now filled the entire picture. It is as if the Syrian regime is attempting to level the entire center of what was once Syria's 4th largest city. Homs is a stubborn animal. After months of being besieged, the center of the city is still occupied by insurgents, insurgents who inflict heavy damage on Assad's military whenever a full-scale incursion is attempted. Meanwhile, the battles continue to rage around Homs. This new show of strength is really a sign of desperation - without a clear Assad victory in Homs, there is no chance that he can defeat the Free Syrian Army elsewhere area, but he has had to resort to heavy shelling because he cannot afford any other sort of attack. 1455 GMT: *Libya.* Finally some encouraging legals news from the Middle East and North Africa - the Supreme Court of Libya has struck down a law<http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/06/14/us-libya-law-idUSBRE85D0X320120614>that would ban citizens from praising deposed dictator Muammar Qaddafi on grounds that is is unconstitutional: Appealing lawyer Salah Al-Merghani welcomed the decision, which came before the country heads to the ballot box on July 7 to elect a national assembly, paving the way for a new constitution. "This law is unconstitutional as it prevents the freedom of speech. We are nearing elections and a basic step is to ensure there is freedom of speech," he said. 1440 GMT: *Syria.* Another frightening video - this was reportedly filmed yesterday in Al Rastan<https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=215253448853172848529.0004c26dcc17eca79ec0c&msa=0&ll=34.951242,36.609192&spn=1.573548,2.90863&iwloc=0004c26fab1e40b78c7fc>. Injured children are evacuated from a building on fire, and while men try to fight the fire, women and children run for the door - and nearly into gunfire: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZincX9w7gww&feature=player_embedded 1406 GMT: *Egypt.* Farouk Soltan, the head of Egypt's supreme court, has clarified for Reuters the impact of today's court decisions. The lower house of parliament will be completely dissolved<http://www.cnbc.com/id/47812700/> . "The ruling regarding parliament includes the dissolution of the lower house of parliament in its entirety because the law upon which the elections were held is contrary to rules of the constitution," he said, speaking two days before another election to pick a new president. 1404 GMT: *Syria.* A full-scale battle appears to be going on in Homs. Watching the live-stream <http://bambuser.com/v/2746927>, every few minutes it appears to escalated dramatically. Now, the gunfire is literally constant: Meanwhile, the live-feed in Homs continues to show intense fighting nearly continuously rocking the city (see update 1316 GMT<http://www.enduringamerica.com/home/2012/6/14/syria-bahrain-and-beyond-live-coverage-questions-of-human-ri.html#1316> ). 1333 GMT: *Egypt*. Writer Bassem Sabry evaluates the Supreme Court's decision in a series of critical messages, including: Bassem Sabry @*Bassem_Sabry* <https://twitter.com/Bassem_Sabry> 6- Notably, three of the leading liberal MPs are now also out of parliament for sure; Amr Hamzawi, Amr Shobaki, and Mostafa El Naggar >>> 14 Jun 12 <https://twitter.com/Bassem_Sabry/statuses/213249049753694209> Bassem Sabry @*Bassem_Sabry* <https://twitter.com/Bassem_Sabry> 7- Even though I genuinely disliked this Parliament, but what is happening today is a horrid joke. 14 Jun 12 <https://twitter.com/Bassem_Sabry/statuses/213249244168069120> Sabry adds this view of what amounts to a consolidation of power in the hands of the ruling Supreme Council of Armed Forces and Egypt's next President: Bassem Sabry @*Bassem_Sabry* <https://twitter.com/Bassem_Sabry> If entire Parliament is indeed disbanded, that most likely means the next President will be the executive, SCAF to retain legislative powers 14 Jun 12 <https://twitter.com/Bassem_Sabry/statuses/213257267984875520> 1325 GMT: *Egypt.* In a double surprise decision, the Supreme Court has not only ruled that former Vice President Ahmed Shafiq's candidacy for President is legal, it has effectively quashed the Parliament<http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2012/06/2012614124538532758.html> . The ruling on Shafiq was always likely, even though he could have been subject to the Disqualification Law preventing any member of the Mubarak regime from standing for election. Shafiq was officially the second-highest candidate in last month's first round of the Presidential ballot, entering a run-off with the Muslim Brotherhood's Mohamed Morsi. The shocking development was the Court's ruling that the format of Egypt's Parliamentary elections was illegal. In particular, the Court said that allowing parties to put forth members for single-candidate seats, in addition to seats based on slates of candidates, should not have been allowed. The decision invalidates about 1/3 of the Parliamentary contests, bringing the number of "legal" MPs below the threshold needed for the legislature to convene. 1316 GMT: *Syria.* A live-stream from Homs <http://bambuser.com/v/2746714>is up and running, and while the video is clear the picture isn't pretty. There is once again heavy gunfire and shelling, and smoke can be seen rising from the area: 1259 GMT: *Syria.* Damascus is not the only area reportedly shelled today. According to activists, Homs has been shelled again today, the 9th day of heavy bombardment in a row. This video reportedly shows smoke rising from the Jouret Shayah<https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=215253448853172848529.0004c26dcc17eca79ec0c&msa=0&ll=34.726659,36.723347&spn=0.098618,0.181789>district: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlSgel7bYqc&feature=player_embedded 1246 GMT: *Syria.* In the last several minutes we've seen literally dozens of videos showing mosques, homes, and shops on fire in Douma<https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=215253448853172848529.0004c26dcc17eca79ec0c&msa=0&ll=33.496743,36.485596&spn=0.800494,1.454315&iwloc=0004c26dcc1bddfc75624>, the result of heavy shelling in the area. We share only 3 videos below: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdUHk0I_t7s&feature=player_embedded http://wwwyoutube.com/watch?v=zMRpoK0Bs4A&feature=player_embedded The nearby suburb of Zamalka<https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=215253448853172848529.0004c26dcc17eca79ec0c&msa=0&iwloc=A> : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uHT39F8plc&feature=player_embedded 1232 GMT: *Syria.* There are reports that the important Damascus suburb of Douma<https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=215253448853172848529.0004c26dcc17eca79ec0c&msa=0&ll=33.582591,36.395645&spn=0.399852,0.727158&iwloc=0004c26dcc1bddfc75624>has been heavily shelled today, and multiple videos show smoke rising from several areas. The LCCS has posted this report<http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=479706302056511&set=a.221856221174855.74557.217848338242310&type=1>, along with a video <http://www.facebook.com/LCCSy/posts/475394505807737>that they claim was taken there today. Dozens of wounded were reported, and there is news that several were martyred in the Hamira district as a result of the heavy shelling and residents' inability to rescue the wounded due to the regime's gunfire at anything that moves. James Miller takes over today's live coverage. Thanks to Scott Lucas for getting us started this morning. 0951 GMT: *Syria*. A United Nations observer convoy has arrived<http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/06/14/us-syria-idUSBRE85B0DZ20120614>in the town of al-Haffeh, following Wednesday's withdrawal of the Free Syrian Army after eight days of shelling and a regime siege. "Our observers entered al-Haffeh," spokeswoman Sausan Ghosheh said in an email. UN observers had been turned away from the town by regime supporters on Tuesday. 0935 GMT: *Bahrain*. The details <http://byshr.org/?p=1115> of the "re-convictions" of 11 medics and dismissal of charges against nine others this morning (see 0905 GMT): 1. Dr. Ali Al-Ekri (15 Years Imprisonment): Changed to 5 Years Imprisonment 2. Dr. Nader Diwani (15 Years Imprisonment): Changed to 1 Month Imprisonment 3. Dr. Ahmed Abdul Aziz Omran (15 Years Imprisonment): Charges Dropped 4. Dr. Mahmoud Asghar (15 Years imprisonment): Changed to 6 Months Imprisonment 5. Rola Al Saffar (15 Years Imprisonment): Charges Dropped 6. Dr. Abdulkhaleq Al-Oraibi (15 Years Imprisonment): Changed to 1 Month Imprisonment 7. Dr. Ghassan Dhaif (15 Years Imprisonment): Changed to 1 Year Imprisonment 8. Dr. Bassim Dhaif (15 Years Imprisonment): Changed to 1 Month Imprisonment 9. Sayed Marhoon Al-Wedaie (15 Years Imprisonment): Charges Dropped 10. Dr. Nada Dhaif (15 Years Imprisonment): Charges Dropped 11. Dr. Fatima Haji (5 Years Imprisonment): Charges Dropped 12. Dheya Ibrahim AbuIdris (5 Years Imprisonment): Changed to 2 Months Imprisonment 13. Dr. Najah Khalil Al-Haddad (5 Years Imprisonment): Charges Dropped 14. Dr. Saeed Al-Samahiji (10 Years Imprisonment): Changed to 1 Year Imprisonment 15. Dr. Zahra Al-Sammak (5 Years Imprisonment): Charges Dropped 16. Ali Hassan Alsddi (15 Years imprisonment): Convicted in absentia 17. Ibrahim Abdullah Ibrahimn (15 Years Imprisonment): Changed to 3 Years Imprisonment 18. Hassan Mohammed Said (10 Years Imprisonment): Charges Dropped 19. Mohammed Faiq Ali (5 Years Imprisonment): Charges Dropped 20. Qassim Mohammed Omran (15 Years imprisonment): Convicted in absentia 0905 GMT: *Bahrain*. A court has "re-convicted"<http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2012/06/20126147542770730.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter>nine medics for alleged crimes amid the uprising from February 2011. The longest sentence, five years, was handed down on Ali al-Ekry, formerly the senior medic at Salmaniyah Medical Centre. Eight other doctors were sentenced to between one month and three years. Twenty doctors were originally convicted by a military court last autumn. Two of them did not appeal their 15-year sentences, and are believed to have fled Bahrain or gone underground. Nine others had their verdicts dismissed on Thursday. The court's decision quashed some of the most serious charges against the doctors, including allegations that they "occupied" the hospital and possessed weapons. 0805 GMT: *Syria*. A house in Homs set ablaze this morning by regime shelling: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBmMEmjg2ww&feature=player_embedded 0755 GMT: *Egypt*. The Ministry of Justice has issued a decree allowing military police and intelligence officers to arrest civilians<http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2012/06/201261316733866879.html>suspected of crimes, restoring some of the powers of the decades-old emergency law which expired only two weeks ago. The controversial order was drafted earlier this month, but was not announced until Wednesday. It applies to a range of offences, including those deemed "harmful to the government," destruction of property, "obstructing traffic," and "resisting orders". Several of those provisions would allow the military to detain peaceful protesters, for example, for disruption of traffic by rallies in Cairo's Tahrir Square. 0645 GMT: *Syria*. State news agency SANA reports that "a booby-trapped car" exploded <http://www.sana.sy/eng/337/2012/06/14/425323.htm> at a garage for buses and cars near Imam al-Sadr Hospital in the Damascus suburb of al-Sayeda Zainab. The agency said "two persons were hit". <http://www.sana.sy/eng/337/2012/06/14/425323.htm> 0445 GMT: *Syria and Bahrain*. We begin with two episodes in two countries of human rights, or rather the denial of them. As 77 people died at the hands of security forces in Syria on Wednesday, Amnesty International released a 70-page report, "Deadly Reprisals<http://www.amnesty.org.uk/news_details.asp?NewsID=20167>", with "fresh evidence of widespread as well as systematic violations, including crimes against humanity and war crimes, being perpetrated as part of state policy to exact revenge against communities suspected of supporting the opposition and to intimidate people into submission". The report, based on visits to 23 towns and villages in Aleppo and Idlib Provinces, claims, "Soldiers and shabiha militias burned down homes and properties and fired indiscriminately into residential areas, killing and injuring civilian bystanders. Those who were arrested, including the sick and elderly, were routinely tortured, sometimes to death." Meanwhile, Human Rights First is watching today's court hearing in Bahrain for 20 medics<http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/2012/06/11/upcoming-medics-appeal-verdict-will-test-bahrain%E2%80%99s-commitment-to-human-rights-reform/>sentenced last autumn to prison terms of 5 to 15 years. EA's John Horne adds his observations: The final verdict expected today of the 20 medics in Bahrain is a major marker for the future of the country. Anything less than acquittal for all, will signal - perhaps finally that the regime is fundamentally wedded to its repressive path. The international community was shocked and repulsed at the sheer brutality of the treatment meted out to individuals doing fundamentally nothing other than their job: helping sick and injured patients. If sentences, or similar, are handed down, close scrutiny should be placed on international reaction. The US, who has sought to stage manage a reform process, cited the medics case specifically in its recent submission on Bahrain to the UN Human Rights Council. If these 20 medics arent freed, then, if they are to regain any credibility, US action needs to move beyond statements expressing deep concern and towards action that can be felt tangibly on the ground. Europe (excluding the UK) has been increasingly showing a lead on Bahrain, with EU High Commissioner Catherine Ashton making a recent series of strong statements. Perhaps the signs of tangible action may come from that direction. Should these 20 medics finally be given their freedom, it will be treated with relief by Washington and London as a sign of reform. However, that sign will be quickly tested. On Sunday, Younis Ashoori, a hospital administrator, is due to receive his final verdict, with 4 other health professionals still awaiting theirs. Even that only scratches the surface. As a consequence of what happened to the medics, most live in terror of attending public hospitals in what Physicians for Human Rights recently called a militarised system. And even that only scratches the surface. Article originally appeared on EA WorldView (http://www.enduringamerica.com/). 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